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Stress-Free Scrapbook Journaling Ideas

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:59:26 +0000

by Elaine Clay

Do you find it intimidating when you come to journal your scrapbook pages?

You are not alone! Many scrapbookers find it hard to get started when it comes to adding journaling to their scrapbooking layouts.

If you are one of those people who go blank at the thought of having to journal, don’t worry. Here are some stress-free scrapbooking journaling ideas to help you write the right words whatever your page theme.

Make a list.
This is a fairly simple journaling technique that is suitable for use with any type of page theme, for example:

Doing a friendship page – list how you met, where you met, how long you have known each other, include what you like about your friend and why you are both pals.

Doing a recipe scrapbook page – then make a personal top 10 list of reasons why you like Grandma’s chocolate cake so much.

Doing a baby layout – do a list of baby’s favorite foods, you can even do one for the foods they don’t like!

A variation of this technique is to use bullet points to mark each line on your list, giving you an opportunity to empathise each item of your journaling:

Anguilla
April 2004
My first trip to the Caribbean
This is the view from my hotel balcony overlooking the cove – I can’t wait to go swimming the sea looks so nice! Make sure you have fun experimenting with all the different kinds of embellishments that you can use as your bullet points!

Another bonus with using the list technique is that you do not need to worry about the structure of your sentences or that your journaling makes sense because the list breaks down what you want to say into it’s basic readable form.

Write a Letter
This is one of those great scrapbook journaling ideas that’s fairly simple to do and it’s also a lovely, personal way to journal your layouts too.

All you have to do is pretend you’re writing to a friend telling them what is happening in your photographs and including the “Dear ….” at the beginning of your writing will give your journaling an intimate feel.

Sent any emails lately? Like letters, emails are also a good source of journaling material that you can use for your layouts.

If you are unsure of your own journaling then doing it in a letter format could help your writing flow more easily, as you describe the people and the events taking place, letting you tell the story naturally and in your own words.

Ask a question
If you are completely stuck and cannot think of anything to write this can be a good quick fix technique to use. Just ask some simple questions like, “What was your favorite part of..?” or “Did anything funny or embarrassing happen?”.

This technique can be very effective when used for a special occasion layout, like a bridal shower, where you can ask each of the guests to tell you about their favorite memory of the bride-to-be.

Why not take it a stage further? Give each shower guest some suitable decorative paper and let them write down their own memories rather than journal all of them yourself.

For an extra special touch, you could get the guests to bring with them their favorite photo of the bride-to-be. Ask them to journal why they picked that particular picture and then do a separate layout for each individual photo.

This is an effective way to make a wonderful and unique scrapbook that is quick, simple and full of memorable pieces of journaling that add a very personal feel to the album.

If you are one of those people who find it difficult to begin the journaling process these fun scrapbook journaling ideas will provide you with some basic tips and techniques to help make it easier.

So go on, try out the scrapbook journaling ideas above for yourself and add some stress-free journaling to your pages… Once you’ve finished you’ll see that it’s been well worth the effort.

About The Author
Elaine Clay is the owner of Online-Scrapbooking-Guide.com :: your one-stop online scrapbooking resource. Find inspiration, increase your creativity and have fun with our helpful tips, ideas, articles and much more.

Managing Morning Madness

admin — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:49:46 +0000

by Elizabeth Pantley, Author of Kid Cooperation and Perfect Parenting

Are your mornings rushed, chaotic and disorganized? Then it’s time to get control and make morning a good start to a wonderful day! When your morning activities run smoothly, and you’re out the door on time it can make your whole day feel better. To create a peaceful morning routine, follow these steps:

Start your morning — at night!
A real key to smoothing out your morning is to prepare as much as you can the night before. This means choosing the day’s clothing, packing lunches, gathering homework, signing permission slips and setting the table for breakfast.

Post a calendar
Buy the biggest wall calendar you can find and hang it in a central location. Write down events and appointments for everyone. Use different color marking pens to code items for easy reading. (As an example: ball practice in red, carpool in green, doctors/dentists in purple) Keep the calendar up to date and you’ll be more organized!

Create a drop box
Have a labeled box for each family member by the door. Use this to store shoes, keys, backpacks, coats and anything else that goes out the door with you in the morning. Plastic tubs or decorated crates make great drop boxes!

Use a morning list
Sit down and analyze a typical morning. Make a list of everything that needs to be done. Create a poster-sized list of the standard morning activities listed in order to be done:

If you have a child who gets easily distracted and ignores the morning chart – don’t give up! Just make a small mini- size chart, laminate it, put it on a chain and let your child wear it as his “morning necklace”! Your part is to make a few gentle reminders, “How are you doing on your chart this morning?”

Check out sleep time
If your child has trouble getting up in the morning and sticking to his schedule take a look at what time he or she goes to bed. Without adequate sleep a child won’t be able to follow a morning routine successfully.

Fix problems with a family meeting
If problems persist take the time to sit down with your children and talk about it. Let everyone have a turn talking, and then work to arrive at solutions that will benefit everyone.

Get up fifteen minutes earlier
You’d be amazed at the difference fifteen minutes can make to your morning, it can mean a peaceful pace instead of a rushed frenzy. Try it!

Praise successes
Remember, your words of praise will encourage your children to continue to meet their goals!

About the author:
Elizabeth Pantley is the author of several books, including Gentle Baby Care : No-cry, No-fuss, No-worry — Essential Tips for Raising Your Baby, The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night, Kid Cooperation (with an introduction by William Sears, MD), Perfect Parenting, as well as her latest The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers and is also president of Better Beginnings, Inc. She is a popular speaker on family issues, and her newsletter, Parent Tips, is seen in schools nationwide. She appears as a regular radio show guest, and has been quoted in Parents, Parenting, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, American Baby, Working Mother, and Woman’s Day magazines. Visit Elizabeth’s web site http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth.

Childproofing Your Home

admin — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 03:58:57 +0000

To make sure that your home is a safe haven for your children – and you – learn to spot and eliminate hazards throughout the house. This checklist will show you how. Register with ClubMom to customize this checklist by assigning due dates, adding new tasks, scheduling email reminders, and more.

Safety measures for every home:

Install child-resistant covers on all electrical outlets.

Keep dangerous chemicals out of children’s reach.

For strings and ribbons, follow the six-inch rule.

Always use a safety belt on your baby when she is sitting in a bouncy seat or a swing.

Shorten curtain and blind cords.

Place furniture well away from windows.

Use corner bumpers on furniture and fireplace-hearth edges.

Place houseplants out of children’s reach.

Know the names of all plants in case a child eats one of them.

Keep cigarettes, matches, and lighters out of children’s reach.

Safeguard heating and gas systems against accidents.

Be sure that furnaces, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, space heaters, and gas appliances are vented properly.

Place screened barriers around fireplaces, radiators, and portable space heaters.

Install carbon-monoxide (CO) alarms outside bedrooms to help prevent CO poisoning.

Install smoke alarms outside each bedroom and on every level of your home.

Remove the plastic end caps on doorstops or replace the stops with a one-piece design to prevent choking.

Consider placing plastic guards along the hinge side of frequently used interior doors to prevent the doors from pinching fingers.

Safety-proof windows and fire exits.

Make a fire evacuation plan and practice fire escape routes at least twice a year.

Keep firearms and ammunition safely locked away.

Secure unsteady furnishings.

Avoid household water hazards.

Test homes built before 1978 for lead paint.

Learn first aid and CPR.Register now to customize this list.

Hallways and staircases:

Avoid dark hallways and rugs that slip.

Safety-proof stairs.

If possible, install carpeting on stairways to protect from falls.Register now to customize this list.

Kids’ rooms:

Position your child’s crib away from all drapery, electrical cords, and windows.

Make sure the crib meets national safety standards.

Make sure the mattress fits snugly.

Be sure the crib sheet fits snugly.

If you use a crib bumper, make sure it’s firm (not fluffy) and secured tightly with at least six ties.

Remove mobiles and other hanging toys from the crib as soon as your child can reach up and touch them.

Place infants under one year on their backs to sleep.

Never use an electric blanket in the bed or crib of a small child or infant.

Place night-lights at least three feet away from the crib, bedding, and draperies to prevent fires.

Always use a safety belt on your infant when you have her on a changing table, and never leave her unattended.

Provide padding for falls.

Check age labels for appropriate toys.

Be vigilant about choking hazards.

Use side railings for children just getting used to “big kid” beds.

If bedrooms are on second or third stories, be sure to have a fire-escape ladder in each room.Register now to customize this list.

Bathroom:

Put a lock on the medicine cabinet.

To prevent poisoning, lock away all vitamins and medicines.

Install toilet-lid locks to prevent drowning.

Lower the household water temperature.

Always test the water first before bathing a child.

Make sure bathtubs and showers aren’t slippery.

Use electrical appliances carefully.

Install ground-fault circuit interrupters on outlets near sinks and bathtubs.

Never leave a young child alone in the bathroom.Register now to customize this list.

Kitchen:

Keep knives, cleaning supplies, and plastic bags out of children’s reach.

To avoid fires and burns, never leave cooking food unattended.

If stove knobs are easily accessible to children, use protective covers to prevent kids from turning them.

Teach your kids how to respond to fire.

When they’re not in use, unplug electrical appliances.

Replace any frayed cords and wires.

Keep chairs and step stools away from counters and the stove.

Keep activated charcoal (helps absorb some poisons) and syrup of ipecac (used to induce vomiting) on hand.

Beware of foods that children can choke on.Register now to customize this list.

Yard:

Store tools, garden, and lawn-care equipment and supplies in a locked closet or shed.

Don’t use a power mower to cut the lawn when young children are around.

Don’t allow children to play on a treated lawn for at least 48 hours following an application of a fertilizer or a pesticide.

Know the types of trees on the property in the event children ingest berries, leaves, or other plant life.

If you have a swimming pool, install a fence (with an automatic childproof gate) that separates the house from the pool.

When you barbecue outdoors, never leave kids unattended around the grill.

Store propane grills where children cannot reach the knobs.Register now to customize this list.

Other resources for childproofing your home:

To find outlet covers, cord shorteners, cabinet latches, and toilet-lid locks, check with your local hardware store.

For consumer-product and home-safety information, contact the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

For details about child and home safety, contact the National Safe Kids Campaign.

For information about child lead poisoning, read the “Lead Hazard Information” pamphlet from the department of Housing and Urban Development.

For information about safe drinking water, contact the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water.